Double Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva has been appointed as the head of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).

It means she will withdraw from the race to become President of Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF), an election she had been widely expected to win.

The vote is due to take place in Moscow on Friday (December 9).

The 34-year-old, a vocal critic of the treatment of Russia since allegations of state-sponsored doping in the country emerged, will head RUSADA’s ruling Supervisory Board.

“I thank my colleagues for their trust,” she said after taking over a role at an organisation which remains non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code.

“We all understand that the fight against doping is today one of the most important issues on the agenda of world sports.

“The effectiveness of this fight in Russia will depend on how soon RUSADA is reinstated in its rights.

“This is our main task and we will exert maximum efforts to achieve it.”

Isinbayeva was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Rio de Janeiro in August as one of four new additions to the Athletes’ Commission.

She was banned from competing at the Olympics in the Brazilian city after the International Association of Athletics Federations opted to introduce a blanket ban on the country following the doping allegations.

The pole vaulter described the ruling as a “funeral for athletics” and “a blatant political order” and has since retired from sport.

Organisers of the HAJ Hannover Marathon caused a major pre-Christmas surprise today by presenting German record holder Arne Gabius during a press conference. The 35 year-old will run his next marathon on 9th April in Hannover. The HAJ Hannover Marathon has developed well in recent years and is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race. Entry for the event, which also includes a half marathon that will feature the national championships for the first time, is available at: www.marathon-hannover.de

“I know that I probably caught many people by surprise by committing to the HAJ Hannover Marathon,“ said Arne Gabius. „However after my injury I was looking for a suitable race to come back and did not want to go for a major international marathon like London straightaway. I wanted to run in Germany and Hannover is a great race where I am sure that I will find excellent conditions.“

A long-term injury with an inflammation in the pelvis area forced Arne Gabius to first withdraw from the Olympic marathon and then cancel any plans for an autumn marathon. Before he had dropped out of the London Marathon in April so that he last completed a marathon more than a year ago: It was in Frankfurt where he broke the long standing German marathon record with a time of 2:08:33 in October 2015.

„There should not be too much pressure for me in Hannover and I hope to enjoy the competition. Additionally the earlier April date of the race suits me,“ said Arne Gabius, who recently started running sessions again after doing most of his training in water before. He plans to run a first competitive race on New Year’s Eve and will then determine when and how long he will go for training to Kenya in the built up to Hannover. It is likely that he will run at least one half marathon before his marathon race.

„Of course I would like to run a time of around 2:10 in Hannover – however at present I am simply unable to make any predictions. I have never had such a major injury in my career before so that I have to wait and see what kind of shape I can get myself in,“ said Arne Gabius, who might still opt for a marathon start at London’s World Championships next summer. This will of course depend on his race in Hannover and on the recovery after that. On the very flat course in Hannover the German qualification time of 2:13:00 should normally not be a major obstacle for Arne Gabius.

In a major restructure, the IAAF Diamond League has adopted a championship style model with the finalists competing for a prize pool of $3.2 million.

From next season, athletes will earn points in the first 12 IAAF Diamond League meetings to qualify for two final meetings where $100,000 will be at stake in each of the 32 Diamond Disciplines, including $50,000 for each winner.

In previous seasons, athletes accumulated points throughout the IAAF Diamond League season with the overall winner of each of the 32 events being the athlete with the most points irrespective of whether they won the final.

The season is now a race to reach the finals with the winners crowned as IAAF Diamond League Champions. As in a championship the performance of athletes in the final alone will determine who the champion will be and the prize money won.

The IAAF Diamond League finals will now offer a dramatic showdown between the world’s best athletes, a true climax to a four-month race across four continents.

Sebastian Coe, IAAF President and chairman of the Diamond League AG, commented: “After seven seasons which have established the IAAF Diamond League as our premier circuit it is important to assess its impact and build for the future. These decisions are the first step to growing the attractiveness of the series.”

In the horizontal jumps and throwing events there will be a return in 2017 to six attempts for all athletes. This follows last season’s experimental format where all athletes were given 3 attempts but with only the top 4 athletes being given 3 further attempts.

Queen’s University athlete Claire Sumner had her best cross-country season of her career this year. She won the 2016 U Sport Cross Country Championships Nov. 12 on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec and then two weeks later finished third at the Athletics Canada club championships in Kingston, Ontario.

U Sport was formerly known as CIS and CIAU, they went for a rebrand in 2016.

Sumner transferred from the University of Toronto, to Queens for this season and is currently training under the direction of Steve Boyd.

Sumner, formerly a hockey player, switched to running seriously during her final year of high school, following in the footsteps of her mother Kate Wiley and Aunt Alison Wiley, who were very competitive athletes in their day.

Alison finished second at the world cross country championships in 1983 and was an NCAA champion while attending Stanford University in the 3,000-metre event, while Kate owned the 3,000-metre Ontario scholastic record until this year. She attended Harvard and led the team to a fourth place finish in the NCAAs that year.

Christopher Kelsall: You grew up in Calgary, yes? Which sports did you play? Did you hang out at Canada Olympic Park dreaming of competing in winter sports?

Claire Sumner: I actually grew up in Ancaster, ON (near Hamilton), so no mountain sports for me (but did move to Calgary later), other than a little bit of skiing on some Ontario slopes! My parents kind of threw us into everything when I was young. I played house league soccer, and swam. When I was about seven, I started to play hockey, which became my main sport growing up. I always did cross-country and track with my school, but hockey was always the priority until I was in Grade 10. At this point, I thought hockey was the sport I was going to be taking to a high level. I even had Olympic dreams about it at one point!

CK: Who were your hockey heroes?

CS: Being from Calgary (and my dad being a HUGE Calgary Flames fan), I would have to say Jerome Iginla, before he got traded, and then of course Sidney Crosby and Haley Wickenheiser. All the classics!

CK: Which position did you play, mostly?

CS: I played defense!

CK: When did you start running with seriousness?

CS: There is a running legacy in my family, since my mum and her sisters were high level runners back in the day, so I always loved the idea of the sport. When I was in elementary school and junior high, I always participated on the cross-country and track and field teams. I also did some road races (very casually) growing up. I always enjoyed running, at this point I think mostly because I wanted to follow in my mum’s footsteps.

Soon after we moved to Calgary when I was in Grade 8, I joined the University of Calgary Athletics Club (UCAC), coached by Mike Van Tighem. I was still playing hockey seriously at this point, so running was still not my priority. However, being a part of this club made me love the sport even more, and it became more of a real sport to me (instead of a side sport) as I got to participate in more competitions and train with a group of people who shared the same passion. After a couple years of being on UCAC, and the success I was having with running at this point, I decided I wanted to stop playing hockey, and focus solely on running. This would have been when I was in Grade 12. So long story short, I started running seriously in Grade 12.

CK: Where did finishing third at the national club cross country championships in Kingston fit into your goals versus your gold medal performance at the U Sport championships?

CS: It was more than I hoped for! I am still was soaking in my win at the U Sports championships, and I thought that this race would go completely different for me since now I would be running with all the big girls. Going in, my ideal goal was to be in the top six to qualify for the World Cross Country Championships in Uganda, and I did think I was capable of this after my success this fall. But I knew it would be very difficult with all the experienced, talented runners in the mix, so I wasn’t putting too much expectation or pressure on myself to make the team. When I found myself in medal contention with about 3k to go in the race, I was very surprised (and excited!) Finishing with a bronze medal and a ticket to the World Championships was an incredible way to cap off the most amazing season of my life!

CK: Having home course advantage, did you get to spend much time running over the route?

CS: The Queen’s cross-country team trains up at Fort Henry usually at least once a week. That definitely gave me an advantage. I knew the 2.5K loop of that race very well. None of the ups and downs or sharp turns were unexpected. I think I’ve faced about every type of weather up there (wind, snow, rain, sun), so I was prepared for anything that day! The fort is definitely a real cross-country course-it is a grind. Being a runner who loves rolly, hilly terrain, I think this course played to my strengths.

CK: Can you take me through your U Sport Championships race?

CS: That race did not go as I thought it would go (as is usually the case in all races). I’ve definitely learned to be ready for anything at this point. I loved the course on the Plains of Abraham-it was very similar to Fort Henry in the way it was hilly and tough. It was a windy day, so the plan was to go out with the lead pack but not to take the lead for the first 2k of the race at least. The race went out fast, with my teammate taking the lead right from the beginning. I stuck with the chase pack for the first two, 2k loops, as we tried to close the gap between us and my teammate out front. I found it very helpful to have the chase group to work with, as I have always been a strong pack runner. Going into the third lap, I was feeling very strong, and I was able to pull up beside my teammate out front. The last kilometer, I was just holding steady, feeling a bit in shock to be at the front. I think the adrenaline was keeping me going at that point! The feeling of crossing the line in first felt pretty unbelievable! To cap it off, the Queen’s women cross-country team finished second, everyone running incredibly on the day. It was a day I will never forget that is for sure.

CK: Would you suggest that there is more of a team feel to U Sport nationals versus club nationals?

CS: Most definitely. Particularly, the Queen’s women’s group is very team oriented. We had an extremely strong group of girls this year and we had big team goals that we were very close to accomplishing. I would say that the U Sports adds a big team aspect to the sport. There is a lot of focus on team standings, and on which team will come out with the title. I enjoy the team aspect of it, because it adds another element of excitement. Also, running being such an individual sport, it is nice to have a team goal to work towards as a group. It motivates me more, when I know I have a team behind me working as hard as they can. Also, during the race, it is not just about you, but about the other six girls who are laying it all on the line for the team. At nationals, the focus is definitely more on your individual placing, which is great, but I do enjoy the added team aspect of U Sports.

CK: What aspect of your training do you feel has contributed to your winning season this fall?

CS: This year, I would say my training hasn’t changed much from previous years here at Queen’s. Maybe I have incorporated slightly longer off-day runs, but overall the hard workouts have been pretty similar to earlier years. I would say that the biggest difference between me this year and me last year is my confidence when racing. Last year I always felt as if I was barely hanging on to the lead pack. This year, I have felt strong enough to stick with the leaders, and not only that, but that I am able to race them. I believe that I deserve to be with the leaders, which is different from what I have thought previously. I have learned to run to win. This is definitely partly due to good fitness and having had three years of consistent training injury-free, but I honestly believe a lot of it has to do with confidence, mental strength (competitiveness) and the race experience I have gained over the past few years.

CK: Why did you transfer from Toronto to Queen’s? Was it academic, social or athletics-related?

CS: It was not athletic related. It was mainly academic and social-related. My parents also went to Queen’s, which was a contributing factor. I really enjoyed my time at U of T, and the cross-country and track and field program is incredible there. However, I came to visit Queen’s during my first year at U of T and I just felt right at home on campus. I love the atmosphere here: the university town, the school spirit. Also, I switched my major to Life Sciences from Kinesiology when I transferred to Queen’s, which I feel is a program that interests me much more in terms of what I plan to do in the future. In regards to athletics, I came to Queen’s not knowing much about the cross-country program. I have thrived on Steve’s (Boyd) training program, and I owe a huge part of my success to him. I absolutely have no regrets about switching to Queen’s, because it has provided me with a balance academically, socially and athletically, which I feel has had a hugely positive impact on my performance this fall.

CK: Are you part of the Kult (Physi-Kult)?

CS: No, I am not! Not an official member yet. I am a proud Alberta citizen, so I am loyal to my Alberta club (UCAC), but I feel very lucky to be able to train with the “Kult” and under Steve. Maybe one day!

CK: Being a life sciences student. What to you is the most interesting area of study, of the usual biology, botany, zoology, microbiology, physiology and biochemistry?

CS: I would definitely say physiology. I am hoping to study medicine one day, so physiology is right in my area of interest!

CK: Dr. Sumner? If so, have you nailed down area of practice?

CS: Ha-ha not yet! So many options; many areas interest me at this point.

CK: You have the 2017 world track and field and world cross country championships, Pan Ams and indoor and outdoor seasons coming up. There is a lot to think about. What are your goals for indoors and outdoors this year?

CS: Currently, my main focus will be preparing for the Pan Am and World Cross Country Championships in March. I will do a few races on the indoor track throughout the winter to get myself race-ready, but I won’t be focusing on indoor track this year. As for the outdoor season, I will see where my fitness takes me! World track and field championships seems very unattainable to me at the moment, but anything is possible! But as for right now, cross-country is the priority. I want to be fit and ready to perform to my best (against the best) in March!

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) counterpart Sir Craig Reedie have had a “clear the air” meeting here today at which “perceived misunderstandings” were addressed.

According to an IOC statement, both figures “expressed their determination to move forward together with the shared goal of strengthening the fight against doping and protecting clean athletes”.

“We are now hoping to move forward and cooperate on issues such as independent testing, compliance, and good governance,” Sir Craig told insidethegames afterwards.

“This is necessary going forward.”

It follows a tumultuous period of conflict between the two organisations ever since the IOC rejected a WADA call in July for a blanket ban on Russian athletes participating at the Olympic Games in RIo de Janeiro following allegations of state-sponsored doping.

They instead gave individual International Federations the power to determine eligibility in their particular sport.

WADA was subject to wave after wave of attacks by members during August’s IOC Session in Rio de Janeiro and then again when Sir Craig presented at the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly in Doha last month.

There were even suggestions Sir Craig would be pushed out of the WADA Presidency before he was successfully re-elected for a fresh three-year term last month.

Key allies of Bach, including IOC vice-president Juan Antonio Samaranch, have called for wide-ranging limitations to the power of WADA following perceived mistakes made in recent years.

Anti-doping figures swiftly hit back by criticising the IOC stance on Russia, as well as their Olympic Summit-forum for failing to address doping problems.

It is likely all of these topics were discussed at today’s meeting arranged by Bach.

Abridged and edited from original that appeared in Victoria Sports News, Dec, 3, 2016

These days he can be found running through the trails of Greater Victoria, usually with a crew of teenage athletes in-tow. He leads the Prairie Inn Harriers Youth Team as their manager and coach, it is his brainchild; he founded PIHYT and then quickly acquired community, corporate and club support for the program.

At races, it is easy to pick out a member of Deacon’s clan as he chose the horizontal striped English-harrier-style singlets for the kids to race in. The look proved to be so popular that the club – the biggest club in all of Canada with over 800 members – started to wear them too.

They are the cool kids at the races.

As a kid himself, Deacon found running because he prayed for the opportunity to find a sport that he could beat the big kids in; everyone was big.

“I was one of the shortest kids in my school and really uncoordinated, said Deacon. “I was the kid who rushed for the outfield in gym class because I knew that no one could hit the ball that far and so I wouldn’t embarrass myself. I was not an athlete. In fact, if they had a vote in my school for the least likely to ever be an Olympian, I would have voted for myself.”

That self-doubt turned to confidence as he soon discovered distance running at a summer camp that was led by future Calgary Marathon champion and Frontrunners Footwear store owner Rob Reid.

Deacon tried marathon running at the age of 12, twice. There certainly weren’t any big kids doing marathons.

He once told me, “I wasn’t last in my first races, but I was close enough to last to convince myself that longer distances, like the marathon, might be where I could best achieve a bit of sporting success. So, I did two marathons when I was 12. I would have done more, but for Bill Rodgers. I was a HUGE fan, and wrote him to tell him that I was running marathons. He was kind enough to write back, and wise enough to steer me towards track.”

Deacon ended up seriously doing the marathon later and found success. He placed a very respectable 11th and 16th at the 1997 and 1995 IAAF World Track and Field Championships and competed four times in the event. He won silver at the 2003 Pan American Games and is the only one to win the California International Marathon three times, once in a storm, besting Kenyan, Elly Rono (who owns a personal best time of 2:10:57) and he won another CIM in oppressive heat. Additionally, he has run at or under the 2:20:00 barrier over 20 times, with a personal best of 2:13, twice. He is also a two-time Olympian.

At 50, he continues to run and keep quite fit. At cross-country, never his forte, with his bouncing style, he can still put the scare into local masters. On the roads he continues to run well over shorter distances, for example at the age of 48, he ran the Bazan Bay 5K in the time of 15:51.

He has been married to Rosemary for nearly 21 years. They have two sons who also enjoy running Rob is 17, while John is 14.

“He doesn’t sit still well, he needs to constantly move and create” shared Rosemary. “He’s really a visionary at heart and is at his best when he can create something or help people.”

Apparently he loves to canoe. “Being from Ontario, Bruce is an excellent canoeist and his dream is to own a cedar strip canoe and to canoe the Bowron Lakes Circuit,” shared Rosemary. Bowron Lakes are located in the heart of the Cariboo Mountains in central, BC, pristine country that is known around the world for the circuit.

Findlay Day. Photo credit: Christopher Kelsall

After retirement, Deacon was appointed to lead the Western office of the Canadian Olympic Committee in Vancouver. Under his guidance the office took care of the COC’s education program and community relations west of Toronto. His primary responsibility was the Canadian Olympic School Program, which provided Olympic-themed classroom activities for close to one million students.

Bruce isn’t just a fast runner.

In 2010 he wrote, “Over the last two years, we have grown from a membership of 14,000 to over 52,000. We are now one of the best and most respected Olympic Education programs in the world.”

Months later he had to correct that statement, “you may adjust the Canadian School Program numbers from 52,000 to 65,000. When we spoke, we were gaining upwards of 1500 new members/day…no kidding, it was crazy.”

These days what’s more important to him is how the kids he is coaching are doing. The results are stunning; he has turned out to be an effective coach too.

Liam Stanley competed in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and won a silver medal in the 1500-metre distance.

Taylor Lyman competed in the 2015 IAAF World Youth Championships that took place in Cali, Colombia. Lyman specialises in the 800-metre distance.

Jack Cooper. Photo credit: Christopher Kelsall

Kalum Delaney won the 2015 Junior Boys Vancouver Island Cross Country Championships – a regional event, then went onto virtually tie for first (credited with second) at the provincial championships in Nanaimo).

“Bruce has been by far the most encouraging and influential people in my high school running career. Without Bruce, there’s no way I would have reached this level of high school running,” shared Jack Cooper, a very competitive high school athlete.

Deacon, doesn’t just plan his athlete’s workouts for them or order team singlets, he does a whole lot more. For example he started a successful Youth Endurance Camp, which he has put on two years in a row. He has brought out the likes of Olympians Cameron Levins, Hilary Stellingwerff, Lynn Kanuka as well as top coaches like Heather Henniger of Athletics Canada’s West Hub and Canadian sport physiologist Trent Stellingwerff, to name a few.

He put on a silent auction at a local pub that raised money for a competitive trip – he took the kids to New York to compete in indoors. The northeast of the U.S. may be the mecca for indoor racing.

Not everyone wins every race that they compete in, but his entire team appreciates his hard work and dedication to the kids and the sport.

“Bruce is an amazing coach, not only because of his welcoming, dedicated and has a positive attitude, also, because he genuinely cares,” shared Bridget Cameron, one of his athletes.

“He cares about every single athlete who comes out to practice. Whether you are a beginner, the top runner in the country, injured or not having a great season, he is by your side, leading the way to victory.”

L-R – John Catterall, Alisa Lyesina and Bridget Mateyko

Cameron believes that his primary goal is to inspire running success, “…and happiness and safety in the minds and hearts of individuals,” she added.

Tyler Dozzi came to him two years ago at age 15 from Terrace, BC, a semi-remote northern town that is snow-bound most of the winter. His improvement has been nothing short of spectacular. During the 2016 cross-country season alone, Dozzi won the Island High School Championships, followed by the provincial club championships one week later, the week after that he took the provincial high school championships in Kelowna, in dramatic fashion. Saturday, November 26 for the first time he became a national champion at the Athletics Canada national club championships.

Tyler Dozzi

After his high school provincial championships title, Dozzi said. “I owe everything I have accomplished in running to Bruce. Ever since I have moved to Victoria, I have seen excellent improvements in my fitness. It’s really paying off right now and it’s a great group that we have.”

]]>http://athleticsillustrated.com/editorial/canadian-olympian-bruce-deacon-turned-50-today/feed/0Mark Pinales Triumphs in Half Marathon at Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antoniohttp://athleticsillustrated.com/recent-relevant-news/mark-pinales-triumphs-in-half-marathon-at-humana-rock-n-roll-san-antonio/
http://athleticsillustrated.com/recent-relevant-news/mark-pinales-triumphs-in-half-marathon-at-humana-rock-n-roll-san-antonio/#respondMon, 05 Dec 2016 21:28:07 +0000http://athleticsillustrated.com/?p=17207Perseverance was the name of the game at the 2016 edition of the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon on Sunday. With temperatures in the 50s and in rainy conditions, thousands of participants gutted through the 13.1 miles in the half marathon and the 26.2-mile marathon distance.

The first runner to come across the finish line on Sunday in the half marathon was 23-year-old University of Texas graduate, Mark Pinales, who clocked one hour, five minutes, and 27 seconds. “It was a fun course,” he said afterwards. “There were a lot of great guys out there. I was nervous about the rain last night. The point of coming here was to give it my all. It was a mental battle to do this in the rain with the slippery roads.” Pinales recalled that a pack of seven runners formed early in the race and that it came down to trying to position himself within the pack in order to shield himself from the wind and rain. “About mile seven or eight, I decided that I was going to go for it at mile 10 and increase the pace to try and drop people. It was a battle of wills from there.” Pinales said that once he made it to the front, he told himself not to look back. “I didn’t care if there were seven guys or one behind me at that point.” Pinales’ win Sunday was his first Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series race. Second and third in the men’s half marathon were Nicholas Too (1:05:42) and Paul Sugut (1:05:50) respectively.

The women’s half-marathon champion was Anita Perez (1:20:46).

“Coming into this, I wanted to get top five, so I am very excited to win it,” Perez stated. She said that when she woke up in the morning she realized it wasn’t raining like the forecast had called for so she and her coach decided to head out at 6:00-per-mile pace and take it from there. Perez admitted that the conditions weren’t the only challenge for her. At mile nine, she said her hamstring tightened up. “I was worried about that but was able to nurse it through to the end.” Perez was using Sunday’s race to gear up for a marathon in January. Perez’s nearest rival was Kara Ford (1:21:59) who took second. Third place went to Nora O’Malley (1:24:17).

In the marathon, Joel Harris triumphed with a thrilling sprint finish in 2:36:41. “I tried to stay at a 5:50-5:55 pace at the start. I got in with a good group through mile 16,” he recalled. “At mile 21, I saw the lead runner and a lot of great support encouraging me to go after him. The gap started closing and I made it my goal to stay right behind him. I was an inch away from him and when I saw the finish I gave it everything I’ve got.” Harris’ nearest rival was Chris Frisch (2:36:42). The final podium slot was awarded to Ricardo Carrillo (2:39:06).

Liza Hunter-Galvan won the women’s marathon in 2:57:17. “In my 24 years running marathons, I’ve never run one in the rain,” she said. “I’ll take this any day. It could be worse with the heat.” For Hunter-Galvan, Sunday’s race was the last marathon in her long career. “It’s very emotional for me. This was where I ran my first marathon and how fitting it was to run my last in San Antonio,” she said holding back tears. Second place was awarded to Janessa Dunn (3:08:00), while third place went to Jennifer Kimoto (3:09:10).

The event also hosted a 5K. As with all Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series events, entertainment was never in short supply as bands and cheer zones bolstered all the participants along the streets of San Antonio. The Boston-based alternative band Guster took to the stage at the post race Toyota Rock ‘n’ Roll Concert Series to give everyone something to smile about.

Russia’s suspended track and field athletes look increasingly likely to remain out in the cold during next summer’s International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in London, according to new details from the world governing body’s Taskforce’s latest report.

In maintaining the current suspension at least until next February, the IAAF Taskforce head Rune Andersen told Council on Thursday (December 1) that there could be no change until the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), currently suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), had been reinstated.

“Discussions are ongoing between WADA and the Russian authorities on a roadmap for RUSADA to begin operations again as a fully compliant NADO hopefully before the end of 2017,” he said.

That timeline does not chime in with the statements made from the Russian side shortly before Andersen announced the “key remaining issue” – that Russia has yet to provide convincing evidence that anti-doping procedures within its borders can be conducted effectively and without interference.

The Russian news agency TASS reported Deputy Minister for Sport, Vitaly Mutko, as saying: “I hope that the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) will be reinstated by the start of the spring season.”

ARAF has since been re-named the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF).

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin appeared to back that position up when he said in his annual state of the nation address that the country’s new anti-doping programme will be ready in early 2017 as the nation battles to clean up its scandal-tainted image.

“Every cloud has a silver lining,” Putin said.

The silver lining for individual Russian athletes would appear to be a broadening pathway to major competition which lies open via the IAAF’s International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP), set up in March, according to documents presented by Andersen to the IAAF Council and obtained by insidethegames.

Australian Pat Tiernan defeated a strong international field during the annual NCAA Cross Country Championships last month in Terre Haute, Indiana. The race included Canadian Justyn Knight, “King” Edward Cheserek, who was the 2015 defending champion. Cheserek is Kenyan. Also in the crowd was Eritrean Futsum Zienasellassie, who finished fourth and fifth was Canadian-American Grant Fisher.

Cheserek was the favourite going in while Zienasellassie was considered by some as the most likely to defeat Cheserek. It appeared that neither Knight nor Tiernan were on the prognosticator’s radar, especially to go 1-2. Tiernan finished the race in 29:22, which represents a 5.3 second lead over Knight, who finished a whopping 20.7 seconds faster than Cheserek.

The native of Toowoomba who grew up playing and watching cricket, rugby and lawn bowling soon found his talent lies very much in distance running.

He competed in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in the 5,000-metre distance event. He became the first student of Villanova University to compete in an Olympic event while still enrolled in school since Maddy Crimpen, a swimmer, competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Christopher Kelsall: Growing up in Toowoomba were you a fan of both Rugby Union and the National Rugby League (NRL)? Did you watch the Clydesdales as a kid?

Pat Tiernan: I was always an NRL fan as a kid, and would love watching the Friday night and Sunday afternoon games at home. I just felt they were so much more dynamic and energetic than the Union games, although I’ve now come to really appreciate Union as well as AFL. The Clydesdales would play on the Saturday, so that was like my bridge between the major games. I was also the sort of kid that would watch any sport that came on television. For example, after the Clydesdales’ game, the Australian Lawn Bowls tournament would come on, and I’d be glued to the television screen for the next two hours.

CK: Did it foster dreams in you of growing up to compete internationally in lawn bowling?

PT: Mate, I actually gave the sport a go one semester in high school. I tell you what; it is absolutely not as easy as it looks. I’d have to say my experience playing in high school demolished any ambitions I had of turning professional in the sport.

CK: Too much finesse! What are your thoughts on Rugby Sevens?

PT: I think it’s a great addition to the game, especially now that it is incorporated into the Olympics. I’m not too sure on how often it is played throughout the year, but I think it’s a great opportunity for the guys who aren’t quite as big as some of the props and forwards to show the world what they’re made of on an open field; very fast, very dynamic, and very exciting to watch.

CK: What sports were you playing in school?

PT: I played a lot of sports in school actually. Cricket was my first passion. I started playing that when I was around six years old, and continued right up until I was 17. Absolutely loved it, and still do. I also dabbled with soccer, rugby, field hockey, tennis, and basketball just to name a few.

CK: Like Rugby Sevens, with cricket do you enjoy watching Twenty20?

PT: I’m going to be a little bit of a hypocrite here and say no. I grew up with the Test and One-Day version of the game, and that was what I loved. So while I understand why they introduced the Twenty20 version of the game, I’ll always be a big fan of Test and One-Day cricket.

CK: What sports if any do your siblings Jack, Alexandra and Gabrielle play?

PT: Jack is very similar to me in that he has thrown his hand at a lot of sports, but he’s a runner himself, and not too shabby at that, so we’ll see how that pans out for him. Gabrielle and Ally played some Netball and Basketball in school, but I felt they were always more into the arts. Gabe is a brilliant pianist, and Ally has been involved in some big stage plays recently, so they are both excelling there.

CK: How did you come to find running as your primary sport, was there a defining moment?

PT: I won the Australian Cross Country Championships in the 11 years age group back in 2005, and that was when I started to realize that I was pretty good at it. I was still trying to excel at cricket though, as that was my original passion, but I’d say when I turned 17 was when I realized this was what I was going to be doing. I started doing a few road races and got to spend a lot of time with some of my best mates from back home through training and trips to races, so that was probably the point at which I realized that running was what I really enjoyed doing.

CK: At age 17 you ran that 30:34 in the 10K race as part of the Gold Coast Marathon and won. That is an auspicious performance. Were you surprised with the win?

PT: I was pretty surprised with that win actually. I went into it knowing I was in good shape, but it was also only my second 10km race on the road, so I was just going to see how the race panned out. I think Hugh Williams was second to me in that race, and he was somebody who I had lost to before, so it was a big result for me at the time.

CK: He is 2.5 years older and finished 10 seconds back. You ran a great race in Turku in June this year with that personal best of 13:20.88. What was the difference between that race and your Rio Olympic experience?

PT: I think the race in Turku was a situation where running around 13:20 would have been a big achievement for many of the people in the race. In Rio, everybody in my race had run 13:25 or quicker just in order to get there, so it was pretty ridiculous to be lining up against guys who would consider 13:20 to be a tactical race. Turku was a great confidence booster for me, as I was able to finish strong in a quick race, but racing in Rio made me realize how far I have to go in order to compete with the best. It’s something I’ll never forget.

CK: I assume most of that is developing the ability to drop the pace randomly by 10 seconds per kilometre a few times, to dip deeper into the anaerobic zone, yes?

PT: Most definitely. For me it’s more about being able to recover from a sudden drop in pace and be able to respond to the next change in pace. Marcus (O’Sullivan) and I have recognized that I wasn’t very strong in that area, and it’s been something we’ve been working on a lot over the last three to four months.

CK: Can you take me through your Olympic experience?

PT: Racing wise, it was a big learning curve for me that I’ll be looking back on until the next one comes around. The Games in general were a great experience. I got to meet a lot of new people in the village, and will hopefully bump into them again in the near future and make my presence more known. The city of Rio did a fantastic job I thought with the materials that were made available to them (from the best of my knowledge). The locals were very friendly, and all of the Games officials were very accommodating and helpful in assisting with any questions you had. I actually had my parents, youngest sister, an auntie, and one of my cousins over to watch me compete, so it was great to be able to share one of my greatest accomplishments with them.

CK: Regarding racing in the Olympic 5,000-metres compared to other meets, what is a big takeaway from the event that will advance your racing skill?

PT: Patience is the big thing that I took out of that race. I’ve always tended to get a little anxious in races and make my way to the front when I have felt the pace is too slow or that I’m in a sticky situation. I’m starting to learn to trust myself a little more in the closing stages of the race, and I think if you can have that confidence going into a race and during it, then you’re already giving yourself the upper hand.

CK: Cross-country is so different of course, how would you describe racing for the NCAA title and getting it. How did that feel?

PT: I think I executed well on the day, and incorporated the tools that I mentioned above during this race. Last year I would have got anxious at 4km and made a bold move to the front. In another extreme I could have tried to wait until the final straight to make a move. Both of those situations would not have played into my favour. I slowly picked up the tempo from about 6km into the race until a mile to go, and then made another increase in pace. I just gave myself the best chance I could to win the race on the day, and fortunately came out on top. It was a great feeling though, achieving something that has been just out of reach for a little while, so it is something that I am very proud of.

CK: What do you have to say about young Mr. Justyn Knight finishing second? Did he put the scare into you at any point?

PT: Most definitely. Justyn is a great competitor, and I know how talented he is, so it was quite nerve wracking having him breathing down my neck in that final straight. We’re good mates though, have been for a couple of years now, so it was great to see him coming across the line right behind me. Probably one of the biggest talents in the NCAA across all sports, and just generally one of the nicest blokes you will ever meet, so look for him to be making some big marks in the coming years.

CK: Can you describe a typical training week in season as well as your base period?

PT: So at the moment I’m on a 7-day cycle:

Monday: AM – 30 minutes easy

PM – 60 minutes with a pick up at the end + strides

Tuesday: PM – Workout (Usually tempo/aerobic based session)

Wednesday: AM – 30 minutes + strength and conditioning

PM – 60 minutes easy

Thursday: AM – 30 minutes easy

PM – 60 minutes with a pick up at the end + strides

Friday: PM – Workout (Usually threshold or track session)

Saturday: AM – 45 minutes easy + strength and conditioning

Sunday: AM – Long Run (90-105 minutes)

CK: Now that you are finishing up your time at Villanova, will you move back to Toowoomba? Will you continue to race the 5,000-metres?

PT: I’m heading back home for the Australian 10,000m Championships in Melbourne next week, and then will take some down time and spend Christmas and New Years with family and friends back home. I will be returning to the US to continue training with Marcus for at least another year though, as I believe we still have a lot to build on. As far as racing, I’m hoping to stick with the 5,000m for a little while yet, but I will dabble with the 10,000m as well to see what is working best. I would love to race some shorter distances as well at some point, but those two will be my focus.

CK: Will you be competing in the world cross-country and world track and field championships?

PT: The goal at the moment is to compete at the World Championships in London next year, either in the 5,000m or the 10,000m. I will be putting my hand up for selection to the Australian team for the World Cross Country Championships, so I just have to wait and see whether they will select me in that team or not. Both would be a fantastic experience for me, and hopefully this time around I can make the final.

The Canadian Cross Country Championships took place Saturday in Kingston, Ontario and the usual suspects won or finished well, but there were a few surprises too.

Athletes raced a rolling and windy 2K or 2.5K loop multiple times at Fort Henry – a National Historic Site.

Competition included youth, junior, senior and master category races. The meet serves as a qualification event for the 2017 North American, Central American and Caribbean Cross Country Championships (NACAC) as well as the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

The world championships take place in Kampala, Uganda on March 27, 2017.

Senior Women

[It feels] Surreal and awesome.

Sasha Gollish at 2016 Victoria Track Classic

In the senior womens race Toronto’s Sasha Gollish, that ultimate-playing, alpine-skiing triathlete and duathlete continues to demonstrate versatility, having raced very well in the middle-distances, half-marathon and now cross-country. Saturday, she won, improving her placing from fifth in 2015.

Gollish finished in the time of 33:53.5. Vancouver’s Rachel Cliff, almost always in the top-three at provincial and national championships, finished second in the time of 34:03.4. The third place finisher was Claire Sumner who is credited with the finish time of 34:06.6.

Asked about the improvement, Gollish said, “Well I guess after my half-marathon in Indianapolis, I trusted that I had the endurance to go the distance. And I trusted my speed. But where it came from is a whole lot of hard work with some amazing teammates!”

On November 5th Gollish ran a half-marathon in the time of 1:11:05. The current Canadian record is 1:10:47 held by Lanni Marchant, who also owns the marathon record of 2:28:00. Gollish is now the second-fastest half-marathon runner in Canadian history.

“It takes a village. While cross-country may be an individual sport, it takes help from coaches, teammates, family and friends. I am thankful to have such an amazing network of people that help make this possible.”

Asked to describe the race Gollish told Athletics Illustrated, “It seemed to go out really hard for the first km, so I played it conservative and hung back in about 10th-ish. The front pack really came together around 2.5k where there was another surge by Katheryn Harrison, trailed by Rachel Cliff that stuck. I worked with some other girls to close the gap and stayed near the front. At around 6k there were six of us that were left up front that were working together; the group that would be the top six finishers. At about 8k when we (I think it was down to just Rachel Cliff and I) were climbing the short steep hill on the back area of the course, I made my move and never looked back. I figured if someone had the wheels to catch me than they deserved the win, but I felt good and my gut told me this was the move to make and I never looked back.”

Asked how it feels to be the national champion, Gollish said, “Surreal and awesome.”

Gollish was not just up against Cliff, she was up against a deep field of talented runners for example the BC provincial club champion Lisa Brooking finished eighth and nearly half a minute back.

“There were some amazing competitors out there yesterday; it could have been anyone’s day. It’s a course that has been a bit of my nemesis so it was awesome to finally have a good one out there!”

Hannah Bennison at 2016 BC High School Cross Country Championships – Kelowna

Junior Women

In the junior women’s race, there was little doubt that Vernon’s Hannah Bennison was going to do anything but win. She did, just as she had at her regional championships and BC championships that took place near Kelowna. She also finished as first junior, and fifth overall at the BC club championships in Nanaimo, where juniors were mixed in with seniors and masters.

At nationals, Bennison was representing Team BC, where she finished the 6K course in the time of 20:35.1. Brogan McDougall running for Team Ontario finished second in 20:47.9, while Hannah Woodhouse, who was representing Speed River Track and Field Club crossed the line in the time of 20:54.3 for third place.

“I felt grateful to be healthy and have the opportunity to race a talented field of girls,” said Bennison. “During the race, I focussed on staying relaxed and enjoying the pain, and it was over before I knew it. I was just having fun out there and relishing in the opportunity.”

Bennison won the event in 2015, while she finished sixth in 2014 in the youth race.

Junior Men

I forgot to bring my spikes….

It was all Ontario for the junior men’s race which was won by Toronto West Athletics member Ehab El-Sandali in the time of 24:49.2. He was followed in by Team Ontario’s Mitchell Ubene 4.1 seconds later and finishing third was Miles Matthews of Windsor Legion Track and Field Club.

Tyler Dozzi at 2016 BC High School Cross Country Championships – Kelowna

Youth Boys

In the boys youth race, Victoria’s (by way of Terrace, BC) Tyler Dozzi won and like Bennison won his zone championships, which is Vancouver Island, then won club provincials in Nanaimo and provincial high schools in Kelowna in dramatic fashion.

“[I am] Feeling pretty great right now. To me, being the national champion means that everyone who’s supported me and believed in me, and all of my hard work has truly paid off,” shared Dozzi.

Dozzi has been supported by his parents, who let him move from their home in Terrace, BC to Victoria to pursue his running career at the age of 15. He is training with the Prairie Inn Harrier Youth Team, which is coached and managed by two-time Olympian Bruce Deacon.

Dozzi experienced a little pre-race anxiety, having forgotten the most important item in his gear bag.

“I forgot to bring my spikes to the race, and ended up running in someone else’s that were a bit big and looked a little like sprint spikes. It was a bit of a panic, as I only found spikes to wear two minutes before the race started.”

Dozzi ran a tactical race, not unlike the way he won the provincial championships, by exhibiting patience.

“I was staying near the back of the lead pack for the first two laps. Someone made a move half-way through the second, so I followed from a few metres back,” said the 17-year-old. “Going into the third lap he tried to stretch it out so I had to pick it up a little bit. At the beginning of the third, he slowed down to a jog to let me pass him, so I slowed down for a bit at first, and then took it with some speed.”

Senior Men

The final km was all guts and pure adrenaline

Ross Proudfoot at 2016 BC Club Cross Country Championships

The senior mens race featured top-level talent including two Olympians, the 2016 U-Sport champion and the defending national champion, Ross Proudfoot of Guelph (via Sudbury).

Proudfoot repeated as champion.

Proudfoot crossed the line in the time of 29:52.7 over the 2.5K loop, four-lap, 10K course. Vancouver’s Luc Bruchet wasn’t far behind at 29:55.8, while Trevor Hofbauer of Calgary finished third in 29:56.6.

Hofbauer told Athletics Illustrated, “I’m happy with how that race went. Being a national championship and all, placing in the top three is nice.”

Matt Hughes of Toronto is Canada’s all-time record holder in the 3,000-metre steeplechase. He finished fourth in the time of 30:02.6.

Asked to describe the race Hofbauer said, “The first couple of kms went out pretty quickly and I managed to get in the front after one km into the race. From there, Bruchet pushed the pace with Matt Hughes, Ross Proudfoot, and Andy Wacker joining for parts. We had a nice chase group with Nick Faulk, Evan Esselink, and a couple others (I didn’t pay too much attention), that developed around the 5K mark. We stuck together for 3-4K until Evan and I broke off a bit to chase down Matt and Luc. The final km was all guts and pure adrenaline.”

Quebec’s Yves Sikubwabo, coming off of his Nov 12 U-Sport title that took place on the Plains of Abraham, finished a respectable 13th and is credited with a finish time of 30:33.7. Second at the U-Sport nationals was Vancouver’s Declan White, who finished 19th in the time of 30:45.6.

Junior Girls

In the youth girls race Savanna Jordan had an excellent race winning in the time of 13:58.8 over the 4K course, she was representing Team Alberta. Second was Aleksa Gold for Team Ontario, who finished 3.1 seconds behind and third was Kelowna’s Taryn O’Neill, who continues to come back very well from a broken femur. She is credited with the time of 14:03.

Ziak at 2014 national championships – Vancouver

Master Men

It was all Team BC, as Vancouver’s Jeremiah Ziak finished first, while Victoria’s Graham Cocksedge finished second and third Team BC member and sixth overall was Victoria’s Craig Odermatt. The third overall finisher was Predrag Mladenovic, who calls Toronto home.

While Ziak (40) and Odermatt (46) are perpetually top performers, Cocksedge continues to run in his “don’t call it a comeback,” comeback – he has been off competing for several years. This is his second known race back, which includes provincial championships in Nanaimo, where he also finished second to Ziak.

Master Women

In the womens master category, Genevieve Shurtleff of the Kalenjins Track and Field Club finished first I the time of 30:54.8 on the 8K course. She is just 39 years of age. The second place finisher was Nicki Haugan of Team BC also 39 years. She finished in the time of 31:03.5.

The first master over the age of 40 was Liz Maguire of the Ottawa Lions who finished third and in the time of 31:20.9. She is 50-years-old. Seanna Robinson was the second 40-plus athlete crossing the line in the time of 31:24.9, while fellow 40-year-old Donna Mae Robins of Ontario Masters Athletics was credited with the time of 31:34.8.

The IAAF considers athletes 35 and older as masters age athletes, however, the tradition is that an athlete must be 40 to be considered a master. The top two masters women in this race were under 40-years of age.